Where does the Money Go?

Years ago a friend of mine stated that he didn't want his church offering going to any “social programs.” I’m not sure what programs he meant. It certainly wasn't the Halloween party or the Rector’s Tea, both of which were superbly social. I’m afraid he meant that he didn't want any of his contribution to go to anything like “charity.” Our church, like many churches, had an emergency fund – I think it was kept in a tin box – that was used to help out people in need who showed up at our door. 

You are probably feeling tempted to judge this person, I certainly have judged him over the years and anyone else remotely like him. Let's not judge though. There are people who see the church as being apart from the community. Churches shouldn't act politically; they shouldn't have a presence at the AIDS Walk, for example. Churches shouldn't intrude on society’s ills or blessings; they shouldn't attempt to heal social wrongs. I remember people being scandalized at the presence of clergy and women religious at the March on Washington. Horrified, actually.

There is an instinct to keep church as just church, the place you go on Sundays, the place you go to get married or buried. It’s the place for hymns and prayers and Holy Communion.

Is it fear that prompts some of us to see church this way? Are we afraid that our Christian faith might lead down some road we aren't ready to travel? Or is it an aesthetic reaction against anything un-beautiful, anything that clashes with silver chalices and sung canticles? Because church can be a haven for us…for me. I go there for peace and comfort. God wants me to have peace and comfort, doesn't he? There are Psalms that say so.

As beautiful as church is for me, as much as I treasure its rites and long for its safe and gentle embrace, I know that the church of Christ has to be a force in the world. I only have to read about three paragraphs into any Gospel account to see that Jesus actually forced himself on the world. He put himself in a volatile context, both through his Old Testament references and the imagery of his teachings. He stretched his hands into many a sweaty sick bed, embraced many an outcast. He ruined many a smart dinner party. He rattled many an august cage. If there were any beauty about his ministry, it was not visible to the naked eye.

It is our work in the world that makes us Christians. It is our Christianity that emboldens us to go out and work in the world. Churches must reach out into the community, and not just to attract new members (and more pledges). Churches, if they are to be Christ-like, must do the work of Christ. They must find the ones who need them. They must act out the Gospel as well as proclaim it.

But what if we don’t agree with how our church is acting out the Gospel? There are naturally some congregations, denominations that are not suited for you or for me. I couldn't belong to a church that burned the Koran, to cite an extreme example. On smaller matters, however, a more generous approach is needed.

 

Our church hosts an open dinner every week. People in need of food or just fellowship come regularly for both. It’s free. It’s open. It’s lovely. Has it made any disciples? I couldn't say.  Has it kept anyone from starving? Again, I have no way of knowing. Perhaps it’s useless. Perhaps it’s crucial and life changing. Perhaps ten years from now someone will turn her life around because of a kindness she received at this Open Supper. This is not a program that my friend would have supported. He would have tried to make sure his weekly contribution did not go to this meal.

In my opinion, he would have been wrong – was wrong. Is the Open Supper a proven success? Not at all. Is it a waste of time and money? God only knows. This is where our trust in God has to come in. If our leaders are making prayerful decisions about church activities, if we take part in these decisions, I believe we have to trust that our work will yield results even if we can’t see them right away – or ever.

These are just a few extra thoughts as we enter fully into stewardship season. Please be generous to your church, even if it’s only a dollar or two.. Please also, call your congregation to embody the Gospel and be a force in your world, even if only for a day.